Archive for October 2015
Our Kids, the American Dream in Crisis — Reflections on Dr. Robert D. Putnam’s Book
Several days ago, my husband and I went to a gathering at Georgetown University to meet a group of premed undergraduate students all from the Georgetown Scholarship Program (GSP), a program for low income students. I had read about these students in the summer in a Washington Post article. The reporter, Daureen Brown, told a…
Read MoreBehind Each Face, There’s a Story
Today, Betsy was placed on hospice care. Her Alzheimer’s has worsened; often she can no longer swallow or turn her head to gaze at her visitors or the hospital staff. She was hospitalized for a week with a fever and had a full workup including CT scan confirming again that a part of her brain…
Read MoreOctober 15 – National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness
It’s an American norm to name days and months after selected causes. The purpose can vary: to build awareness, bring attention to, or to give words to something that is likely unspoken. October is designated for a number of causes, including National Domestic Abuse Awareness, Eczema Awareness, National Breast Cancer Awareness, and one that we…
Read MoreDo No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery by Dr. Henry Marsh, published by St. Martin’s Press, 2014
In the Acknowledgements section of this book, British neurosurgeon Dr. Henry Marsh starts with this sentiment: “I hope that my patients and colleagues will forgive me for writing this book.” Why would this be? As a physician, I found his many stories of serious illness, tragic consequences of surgery, and ethical dilemmas profound and not unlike many…
Read MoreOctober 2015 Health Pearls
Regular Exercise During Pregnancy is Recommended by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) For several years now, ACOG has recommended that pregnant women exercise frequently to improve their mood, energy, strength and endurance, to reduce back and pelvic discomfort, and to prevent or control gestational diabetes. ACOG recently reaffirmed its recommendation of thirty…
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